In our U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,627 we have described a process for producing hydrogen peroxide wherein a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen and oxygen is contacted with a catalyst in the presence of water and an organic solvent wherein:
(i) the organic solvent is immiscible with water and unreactive with hydrogen peroxide under the contacting conditions;
(ii) the distribution coefficient for hydrogen peroxide between the water and the organic solvent is greater than 1; PA1 (iii) the catalyst is of the formula L.sub.2 MX.sub.2 wherein L is a ligand represented by the formula A R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 wherein R.sub.1 R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl groups, hydrogen or halogen, A is a Group 5b element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorous and arsenic, M is a Group 8 metal and X is halogen, said catalyst being soluble in said organic solvent and insoluble in water; and PA1 (iv) the gaseous mixture mixture is non-ignitable under the process conditions.
In the description of this patent specification we suggested that suitable organic solvents could comprise 1,2-dichlorobenzene, chlorobenzene and xylene.